Type-writer.



No. 695,25l.

(No Model.)

Pafented Mar. ll, I902. J. B. VIDAL.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1901.)

WITNESSES /N VEN TOH Juana FZJQZ Nine paras Parana union.

JUAN B. VIDAL, OF HAVANA, CUBA.

TYPE WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,251, dated March 11,1902.

Application filed April 18, 1901. Serial No. 56,444. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUAN B.VIDAL, a citizen of Cuba, and a resident ofHavana, Cuba, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-Writers,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to type-writers, and has for its object to improvethe keyboard of such machines,so as to facilitate rapid writing.

To this end my invention consists of the particular arrangement andconstruction of parts hereinafter described and, claimed.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis'specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan of the keyboard. Figs. 2, 3, 1 are sectionalelevations thereof on the correspondingly-numbered lines of Fig. 1.

The keys are. arranged substantially in rows, four rows being shown inthe drawings, and the keys also form columns, and in each column thekeys are located so as to decrease in height or level from the rearmostkey to the one next to the front; but the front key is higher than theadjacent key of the same column.

The front row of keys is adapted to be operated bythe first or secondphalanges of the thumbs or fingers, while the other keys are adapted tobe operated by the finger-tips, as usual. The keys indicated by thenumerals 1 2 3 4. 5 6 7 8 are adapted to be opererated by thecorresponding fingers of the left and right hands, respectively. Thekeys 11, 12, 13, 14, 1'7, 18, 19, and 20 are adapted to be operated bythe first or second phalanges of the fingers, as shown for the keys 17in Fig. 4. The keys of the same column are adapted to be operated by thesame finger or thumb. Thus the keys 15, 9, 25, and 35 are all adapted tobe operated by the thumb of the left hand. Sundry of the keys areprovided with projections extending upwardly and adapted to form guidesfor the fingersin locating the keys, and such guides are located uponone side only of the key or sometimes on two sides thereof. Thus thekeys 1 31 have L-shaped projections 1 and 31 on two sides, while thekeys 21 33 have projections 21 and 33 on one side only. Projections of asimilar character are also formed on the keys 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 30, 35, 36,38, and 40. The arrangement of each five keys of the same row, which areadapted for operation by the same hand, will be understood best byreference to Fig. 2. The outermost keys of the row 36 and 10 are thehighest, the central key 38 is the lowest, and the other keys 37 and 39are located at an intermediate height. The same arrangement is observedfor the five keys 26 27 28 29 30, also shown in Fig. 2.

The keys 2, 4, 5, and 7 are provided with the respective guides orprojections 2, 1, 5, and 7, these guides being upon the side next theoperator only. Keys 1 8 35 36 are provided with L-shaped guides 1 3 3536, oppositely disposed, as shown. The key 38 is provided with a guide38, the shape and position of which correspond with those of guide 33upon key 33. Similarly the L-shaped guide 4O on key 410 matches theguide 31 on key 31. Keys 21 and 30 are provided with oppositely-disposedguides 21 and 30*}, while keys 10, 16, 23, 24, and 3e are not providedwith guides.

It will be'observed that the arrangement 0 the keys and guides is quitesymmetrical and true to the nature of the human hands. The two halves ofthe keyboard are alike, except that oneis right-handed and the other islefthanded.

For the particular fingers that are most sensitive because used to agreater extent the keys matching them have no guides, while for thefingers that are not'much used, and therefore clumsy to manipulate, .thekeys are provided on one or more sides withthe guides. WVhere guides areemployed,they are disposed where most needed.

In the extreme left-hand column, for instance, the key 11 being close tothe operator and very conspicuous needs no guide. Key No. 1 being hiddento some extent by key No. 11 and being down where the operator has togrope for it is supplied with an L-shaped guide, by which it can belocated by sweeping the fin ger in either of two directions. Key 21beinga little more prominent has a guide only at its outer edge, whilekey 31 being in a remote corner, comparatively inaccessible, has an L-shaped guide upon two sides. The next column,comprising keys 12 2 22 32,is more favorably situated and is actuated by a finger more easilycontrolled-to wit, the so-called ringfinger. For this entire column onlytwo guides are necessary, and those are upon the key 2, which is belowkey 12 and partially hidden thereby, and key 32 at the extreme back partof the board. The third column of keys from the left being for themiddle finger needs only one guide, as shown. It will be seen,therefore, that While the number, shape, and location of these guides isto some extent dependent upon individual needs and tastes, yet theirpurpose is beneficial, and that they should usually be arrangedaccording to the general plan shown.

The reason for making the keys immediately adjacent to the operatorhigher than the others is shown in Fig. 4. When the operator isdepressing key 17, as shown, and desires to release that key and depresskey 5, he merely bends his finger naturally untilit rests upon key 5,the natural bend of this finger just about compensating the greaterheight of key 17 over key 5. The same principle holds as between key 17and 27, a partial bend of the finger serving to shift the pressure fromkey 27 to key 1'7, and vice versa.

The central lingers, of each hand being longer than .the other fingersowing to the general oval shape of the hand, each side of thekey-surface is slightly concaved, so that the long fingers Will strikethe keys with the same ease and facility as the shorter ones that is tosay, the outer keys for each hand are slightly higher than the middlekeys, so that the little finger, thumb, and other short 'digits canreach the keys with as little eifort as the longer fingers.

. The keys are all mounted upon a keyboard 4] and are each provided withan ordinary key-lever 42, my invention having no reference to theparticular mounting of the keys and the means for effecting theimpression by their movement.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A keyboard for type-writers and other machinesdivided into two halves, each adapted for operation by one hand andhaving the keys arranged in rows and columns, the keys of one row in thesame section or half of the keyboard being located atincreasingly-higher levels from the center outward.

2. -A keyboard for type-writers and other machines, provided with aseries of depressible keys arranged to be operated by the fingertips,and another series of depressible keys arranged in front of thefirst-named series and projecting upwardly above the same in suchproximity thereto as to be adapted to be operated by the first or secondphalanges of the fingers.

3. A keyboard for type-writers and other machines, comprising a base,and a number of movable keys of differential accessibility, the lessaccessible keys each being provided with guides upon one ofits sides orupon more than one of its sides according to the degree of difficulty inlocating said keys by touch.

4. A keyboard for type-writers or other machines, comprising a base, anda plurality of movable keys provided with guides for locating said keysby touch, sundry of said guides being disposed upon the rears, othersupon the sides and others upon the fronts of said keys, according to therelative position of said keys.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JUAN B. VIDAL.

Witnesses:

JOHN LOTKA, EVERARD BOLTON -MARSHALL.

